


Belonging

by spaceconversii



Category: The Owl House (Cartoon)
Genre: :(, Amity Blight - Freeform, Amity Blight Angst, Amity finds Luz hurt, Angst, Bisexual Luz Noceda, Comfort Later, Edric Blight - Freeform, Edric KNOWS HOW TO KNIT, Emira Blight - Freeform, Emira is a lowkey healer, Emira is hot, F/F, F/M, Gay Disaster Amity Blight, Gen, Heavy Angst, Hey kids can you lighten up back there?, Humans Suck, Hurt, Kinda Racism, Luz Noceda - Freeform, Luz Noceda Angst, Luz belongs here, Maybe therapy, Oop, Parental Abuse, We're gonna unpack that later, almost racism, assult, give them therapy pls, highkey abuse, kids are mean, kinda sexual assult, lowkey abuse, they need therapy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-04
Updated: 2021-02-03
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:21:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27382594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spaceconversii/pseuds/spaceconversii
Summary: Luz disappeared from the Boiling Isles after an accident with Amity, life cant get much worse, but of course it can.orAmity protects Luz a lot
Relationships: Amity Blight/Luz Noceda
Comments: 30
Kudos: 240





	1. Gone

**Author's Note:**

> Trigger warning for you children, there's some heavy angst in this baby.
> 
> *slaps roof of fanfic* this baby can fit so much trauma!
> 
> (((im totally not projecting on characters its ok)))

Luz had left the Boiling Isles years ago, she didn’t tell anyone, she didn’t say goodbye. She took Eda’s key, opened up the portal when she was alone, and left forever. She wanted it to be forever. She had realized that all she did was hurt others, in her desperate need to feel wanted, to feel special, she messed everything up. She was holding her friends back, she couldn't do magic like them. She was holding Eda back, she couldn't expect her to take care of her. She was a danger to people, her magic was fake but it was completely unpredictable, the last time she tried to use it, she had hurt the person who she loved the most, Amity. 

It was an accident, everyone kept saying. But Luz knew it was her accident. Amity would be okay if Luz just accepted that a stupid, simple, unspecial human girl like her could never do magic. Amity lay a few feet away, unconscious. A few minutes before, they had been walking through the woods together, talking about... you know, whatever. 

Luz looked up, where was she?  
She was lying on the ground, face up. Her arm lay in a pool of blood that began to form from the four long gashes that ran through. She was struggling to catch her breath, the burning in her foot and arm made it hard to focus on breathing. 

“Agh, I'm sorry, Amity.” Luz breathed out, “My illusion didn't work…”

“No it's okay, it's not your fault.” Amity helped her sit up against a tree while the two monsters roared.

But it was.

“I have to go fight that thing, hopefully it will leave us alone.”

“Okay” Luz whispered. 

Amity left her there, and Luz watched as Amity got back to fighting. 

___________  
___________

Luz awoke with a start. She was in the human realm. She always was. The key to the door hung loosely around her neck. By now she’d have to replace the thread that held it to her several times. Turning her head over she read the time, 4:29. Her alarm would be going off soon. She sat for a minute, soaking in her nightmare.

Beep! It was time to get up.

She quickly turned off the annoying machine and walked out into the hallway, making sure to tiptoe to not disturb. She splashed her face with water, and looked up into the mirror that faced her. It had been three years since she left the Boiling Isles without a trace. It could've been a dream, but she hurt so much more than someone who had just woken from a nightmare. Her hair was much longer now, reaching her shoulders, maybe a little lighter in a shade of brown. She put her locks into a ponytail and left for her room. Putting on leggings and a tank top, she hopped around her room, still making sure to not make a noise. Her silentness still failed her, she heard movement coming from her moms room. Great. She grabbed her headphones and her phone and began to climb out the window. Grabbing her backpack along the way. Her bag was the same as back then, but the contents were different. A sleeping bag, clothes for school, schoolwork. She liked to be prepared, she told herself. Climbing out her window and getting to the ground was no easy task, but it was one she was used to. She hid her backpack behind the bushes in the front of her house. Then she ran.

Luz liked to run, it would bring some peace to her when she was worried. She couldn't think with the music playing in her ear and the constant thump of her heart. She let herself be guided by her usual path, down the road, through the neighborhood. She ran until her phone rang again, the same alarm that woke her an hour before. She needed to head back. Running faster than before, she went back to her house. The lights were on inside. She crept under the window to reach her backpack, then ran again.

She waited until she was out of sight, then she dialed a number on her phone.

“Hello?”

“Hey Mami, how did your graveyard shift go? No zombies tonight?”

“Oh Mija you would not believe the creatures i've treated tonight.”

Her mom sounded more than tired, her voice was happy though, talking to her daughter.

“Anyone try to bite your arm off?!” Luz made a zombie noise into the mic, attempting to cheer her mother.

“Almost, I'll be home tonight. Robert is home though so he can make you breakfast.”

“Gracias mamá, but i've already left. I'll eat an apple on my way to school, okay?”

“Te amo, bebé, be safe.”

“Te amo.”

She was already at the café she called home by the time she hung up on her mother. She walked inside and immediately went to the bathroom to change. She jumped into some ripped jeans, and pulled her favorite grey shirt with a batman logo over her chest. Finally, she pulled out a purple hoodie, not the same one she had long since grown out of, but a more mature one. No cat-ears, no separate colors. A long simple purple jacket, a zipper down the middle and two pockets. Simple.

She walked out of the bathroom and to the front of the store, where an old woman stood waiting. She reminded Luz of Eda.

“How's the wife, Ms. Lelain?”

The old woman smiled and pulled out an apple for Luz, “She's whining about our babies, again. Our son just got his first job, and Olly got engaged!”

“Oh! To who!” Luz placed her elbows on the counter, loving the old lady gossip this woman had. 

The woman placed the apple on the counter, then turned to make Luz’s drink.

“I think her name is Mia? I just hope she treats them well, they've been through a lot.”

Olly was friends with Luz before they graduated, only two years ago. When Luz started coming to the café more, she hung out with Olly more. Olly was a good person, but they were susceptible to bullying, and Luz learned self defense just for them. She might have gotten detention a few times for breaking a certain boy's nose for poking fun at them, it was okay, and it earned her a free coffee from their mom. 

“Yeah, you tell Olly I say hi! I miss them.”

The woman gave Luz her coffee and Luz handed her three dollars, “Will do, little Lucita!”

Luz walked out of the little café, making sure to pet the cat’s head on her way out.

She walked the few blocks to the school, and she was there. Another day.

She hated going home. Almost as much as going to school.

They were arguing again, as soon as she got home her mom had left to buy groceries, something she forgot to do before. As soon as her mom left, Robert yelled at her. 

She was excited at first, when her mom announced she had gotten a boyfriend while Luz was at that summer camp. She loved him at first. He would take them to do fun things, and he would get Luz presents when she did well in school. Then they got married, and Luz’s hope for a dad faded. Her stepdad was awful to her. She only realized it too late. Her mom wouldn't believe her, she had spent forever loving this man, so how could she all of the sudden despise him?

He was yelling about her chores, she didn’t unload the dishwasher before bed last night. She tried to defend herself, she was greeted with an authoritative “Don't talk back to me.” So she didn't, she kept doing chores. She made sure everything was clean before walking carefully up the stairs to her room. She laid on her bed, looking at her coursebook. Listening to music ever so quietly, so she could hear if he came up the stairs. 

She heard the front door close and was relieved. Her mom was home. She turned up her music. She had only read one page until she felt the rhythm of footsteps. They were angry, set apart, and her brain recognized them as Roberts. Not quick enough. 

He burst into the room with a loud and booming voice, not giving her time to pull her headphones off. He grabbed her by the wrist and marched downstairs, not waiting for her to catch up. Dragging her down till they reached the bottom. She had by then pulled off her headphones and prepared to reason. There was no reasoning to be done. He yelled and screamed, she thought his face would explode, it was red with anger. He was yelling something about being disrespectful and an ingrate? 

“I didn't-”

She was interrupted by a hand, it left her face stinging.

*Yep, I expected that one.*

“You’re useless! I work every day and all day and you can't do one simple thing to support this family!”

“But I-”

He raised his hand, Luz instinctively flinched away, shutting her up.

“This is my house and under my roof you will not disrespect me!”

Luz nodded, there was no reasoning with crazy. She went into the kitchen and kneeled down to pick up the piece of garbage that was on the floor. She must've breathed too loud, or kneeled down angrily, because she suddenly felt a pain in the back of her head. Glass went everywhere and her hoodie was suddenly wet, Luz had to take a second to ground herself. He was a few feet away, standing proudly. She placed her hand to her head and felt warm, wet. Pulling it back revealed blood.

“Clean that up!” He laughed at her.

She ran. She stood up and ignored the ringing in her ears. She stood up and ignored his screams. She ran out the door and towards the town. She could hear him screaming but she didn't dare look back. The café was closed, but maybe the woman was still there, she could give Luz a place to stay for the night. She ran, and ran, the key necklace bouncing on her chest. 

The sky was darkening quickly. To her dismay, the café was closed when she reached it. If there was ever a time where she absolutely needed to go to the coffee shop….She pulled out her sticky-notes, writing something for the woman.

*I came here last night to see if you were still here, please call me, something happened, i'll tell you later,-Luz :)*

She slowed to a walk, suddenly hearing a car approach that sounded a lot like her moms. She was coming home. Luz jumped into an alleyway and ran further down, in an attempt to conceal herself. 

She walked with her head down to the other side of the alley. She ran head-first into two young men she recognized as seniors last year. One more man made himself known by clearing his throat behind her. 

“Luz Noceda, I haven't thought about you in a minute.” The boy behind her chuckled mockingly, Luz turned around, clutching at her jacket.

“Leave me be, Derek.” She paced backwards, making sure to keep her eyes on the boys behind her.

Derek stepped closer, he could smell alcohol on her, unknowingly from her stepfather, “You been getting tipsy tonight, girl?” He brushed his hand on her cheek as she flinched, backing into the wall of the alley. 

“N-no.” She pressed the back of her head against the wall, in an attempt to further distance herself from him. 

He lowered his hand to her neck, petting it weirdly, “C'mon Noceda, you're drunk, we just want to help you out.”

“What happened to calling me the dirty half-Mexican?” Luz spat, jerking away from his touch. 

“Oh I never meant that baby,” The two other boys stepped closer, sniggering to each other as she was surrounded by the three, “I was just teasing you, we all were.”

Luz’s breaths were shallow and shaky, her breath let out fog in the cold late November air. She shivered as she closed her eyes, feeling as Derek put his hands on her hoodie, attempting to pull it off her shoulder. She used the self defense that she learned for Olly and gave him a hard kick between the legs, and started to run when Derek dropped. The two boys blocked her and she turned to run the other way but Derek was already standing again. He hurled his fist right into her face, she was sure she felt her nose break. Instantly, blood came pouring as the tanned girl dropped, her vision blurring from the pain. 

“You’ll regret that Noceda.”

They laughed and jeered as Derek kicked her in the stomach, causing her to cough horribly. He kicked her again, and again and again. In the face, in the chest, in the stomach, and a pool of blood formed around her face. She could still hear ringing, only louder this time, but she could still hear the muffled voices of the boys. She felt as Derek kneeled next to her, caressing her cheek, touching the necklace around her neck. Her phone was in her back pocket, her headphones a few feet away. She felt the cold of the concrete below her, and the shivers that went through her as he breathed on her face tauntingly, tears falling freely down her face, wishing she were home. No, wishing she were at the Owl House.

She would hug Eda, cuddle King, maybe even listen to Hooty. She would drink some hot chocolate while Gus and Willow ranted about school and spells. Amity would be invited over. Luz closed her eyes softly, Amity would giggle and talk about things, Amiy would say-

“HEY!” Luz’s eyes opened suddenly, she couldn't see much, but she saw the boy who was on top of her get thrown off. Her vision was blurry, and blood gushed into her eyes from small cuts on her eyebrows.

She could hear fighting, and shuffling, and crying. She didn't know what would happen next, but she wasn't going to be awake for it.

_______________

Amity had a hard time adjusting after Luz left. They all did. All was left of her was a little note, taped to the Owl Lady’s door.

Sorry.

She hadn't been the same after that beast attacked them. Amity hadn’t either. Luz got hurt, and Amity had been badly cut. Then Luz went for it all, using her blood to draw a glyph in the dirt, aiming for the creature. Amity screamed at her to stop. Blood was not to be used for magic. It was evil. But Luz didn't know, she didn't know the glyph would hurt Amity even more.

Amity was living with Emira and Edric, after the incident with the beast she started slipping in school, her parents did not tolerate it. She worked with the emperor for now, she was miniscule, small in her parents eyes. Working a dead-end job as one of the miniscule guards. At 17 it was some feat. Not for the Blight’s daughter. She was to be trained as a coven leader right out of highschool. But she left the manor. Losing her parents support and money that made it all so easy to reach the top. She had to work harder to get support.

They weren't bad off, Emira and Edric, they all had their jobs. It was a nice three roomed apartment. Noisy neighbors, a leak in the sink. That was all. She enjoyed living there. 

Much to her disappointment, her parents still kept in contact a little. They stressed the poor kids out to their core. They still wanted her to work her way up, still being kind enough to lend some money so their daughter wouldn't forget them if she made it to Coven leader.

They had come over that night, standing in disdain but feigned joy in their children's apartment, they ate snacks with them, and watched a grudgeby game. Things normal families do, things they hadn't done since Amity turned 2. They had gotten a little too overbearing, bombarding questions on Amity about Emperor Belos, being his guard, her next steps. So she forged a phone call, claiming it was the Emperor's Coven, asking her about some job, and walked out. She didn't stop walking, down the stairs, through the streets and towards the woods. 

“Sorry Emira and Edric, you're going to have to find an excuse for them to leave.” Amity whispered to herself as she walked in the pale moonlight. The woods were calming at time, as long as she knew where all the dangerous predators lived… Titan, every time she thought about anything brought back memories of Luz, and that monster. It wasn't that bad, what had happened. She spent a week in an infirmary, unconscious. She still had the scar Luz unintentionally gave her, a deep jagged gash behind her left ear. It wasn't noticeable, but Luz left before it healed. She left before Amity had woken up. Everyone had to tell Amity that Luz blamed herself for it and wouldn't stop berating herself.

Emira had checked on Luz one night while she visited Amity. She was sitting up in her cot, tearing and ripping at the cloth that bandaged her arms, muttering to herself, “Stupid, worthless, powerless, human-” Emira rushed to her side and struggled to get her to stop. She held her steady and firm until she stopped moving, only subsiding to sobs into the teens shoulder. She told her Amity was okay, that it wasn't her fault, but she never believed it. She only got worse through the week. It was like someone turned a switch, her clumsiness was still there, but Luz panicked with every single little mess up. 

Amity missed her though, she didn't tell her she liked her, but she had a feeling Luz knew. In the way they talked and Luz winked at her. They never said anything, Luz knew what Amity’s parents were like, and Amity knew she would have to leave soon. She still thought of her, her short hair, how she always smelled of lemon, how her eyes sparkled when she laughed.

The pale witch walked further into the woods. Suddenly, a blinding light blew her to the ground, and a door formed in the middle of the woods. She knew what it was, Eda had drawings of the door in her house. Luz’s door. She waited, unsure of what was going to happen next. Luz could step out any second, but to Amity’s terror, she heard soft crying. The door opened and she was right next to three boys, laughing at a girl who lay on the ground. It was clear they couldn't see her. Amity watched in terror as she realized the girl was Luz, and the boy was holding her face roughly, where tears streamed. He twiddled the necklace around her neck with his thumbs, and dropped her head to the concrete with a laugh. That was it. She didn't know how to go into the human realm, she didn't know if she could help, but she needed to. 

She leapt out, attacking each of the boys, casting spells at them and cursing them. They screamed and yelled, attempting to fight back stupidly, but soon realized they couldn't. So they ran. They ran and left a panting Amity, she could've done more, she should've done more, they deserved more than a few curses and hexes. But she needed to help Luz. She turned back to her, she looked so different, she had dark circles under her eyes, her hair was longer, falling around her face. It was hard to see much of her, however, her face was so…. Red. Covered in red. She needed to get her safe. And the safest thing right now. Was the Boiling Isles.

_______________  
_______________

Ms. Lelain woke early to open the café, she knew Luz would be there soon, to get her apple and coffee. She knew that girl was complicated, she was weird and different, no matter how she tried to hide it. The kid was cute though, she cared for others, and she was too innocent for her age. She thought fondly as she turned the corner, the one time Luz learned self defense just for her Olly. Then she noticed something on her café doors, a purple paper. A small one. She walked closer to it, then her phone rang. It was Luz’s mother. 

“Ms. Noceda?”

“Oh thank god! Ms. Lelain, have you seen Luz? I know you don't open yet, but I was hoping you've heard from her?”

Ms. Lelain had a sickening feeling in her stomach as she closed the distance between her and the paper, it was from Luz.

“Is Luz missing?”

“She hasn't come home since last night,”

The café owner loosened her grip on the sticky note in her hands in shock, and a gust of winter wind took it down the street, making her eyes land on a spot of purple in the alley next to her. She walked cautiously toward it.

It was cat headphones, the ones Luz wore while jogging, they were dirty and broken in the side.

Her breath caught in her throat as she looked further up the alley, a still damp puddle sat there, all too dark to be water.


	2. Found

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning for this chapter, nothing serious, but there is a lot of mention of blood.

Amity collapsed to the ground. She was in the Boiling Isles, the same place in the woods, the only thing that was different was the bleeding teen in her arms. She sat on her legs and positioned the girl on her lap. Luz’s face was already bruising, the blood covering most of her face. 

Amity brushed the hair out of Luz’s face, holding her tight. She was trembling and hiccuping silently. Amity didn’t know what happened but she knew one thing, she needed to get Luz back to her apartment. So she scooped her up, noting how light she felt. One arm under the back of her knees, the other holding her head into her shoulder. She just prayed her parents would be gone by the time she got there.

She walked through the night, trying to look as unsuspecting as possible. As unsuspecting as someone can look carrying an unconscious person, she noted sarcastically. Luz still trembled in her arms as she carried her, making her nervously hoping Luz would stay asleep until they got to her apartment. 

_ Does she have a concussion?  _ Amity asked herself, she hoped not.  _ What happened to her? The girl I loved so much and who had so much spirit. She left without saying goodbye to me. But here she is now… and she's hurt. _

Making her way up the rickety stairs and through the halls of the complex, Amity tried the best she could to keep steady. Although the girl in her arms was light, it was still proving difficult to carry her. Amity didn’t even bother to knock to see if the coast was clear from her parents. She was too tired, kicking open the door and stumbling into Edric and Emira cleaning the kitchen.

“Mittens! I-” Emira sounded angry but she stopped in her tracks as she saw the girl in Amity's arms.

Edric turned from the sink, eyes widening at the bloody lump in her arms, “Who the fu-”

“Edric.” Emira interrupted cautiously.

Amity had not noticed but she was crying, her cheeks red from the night air. Tears making tracks down her face. She stumbled into the living room where she placed Luz, gently, on the worn couch.

“Emira gets the healing patches-” Amity kneeled by Luz’s head, brushing her long hair out of her face, “-p please.”

Emira was already on it, rushing to the bathroom to grab the necessities, while Edric ran warm water over a washcloth, wringing it out and bringing it to his sister.

“Amity-” Edric placed his hand on her shoulder while she began to wipe the blood that had already started to try off the teen’s face.

“I don’t know. I don’t know…” Amity answered, leaning her cheek to her brother's touch. 

Emira came back, a bundle of first aid equipment in her arms. They only had a few healing patches, it wasn't going to be enough. She walked up to her younger sister and sat on the left of her, closer to the top of Luz’s head. “That's…. That's Luz, isn't it?”

Amity choked back a sob as she rested her forehead on the cushions that her old friend lay on. 

“Oh, titan-” Edric rubbed little circles on his sisters back, kneeling down with her, “Amity it's gonna be okay. Emira and I can fix this.”

Amity looked down at herself, her clothes were ruined with blood and her arms had dried splotches all over it. Choking out a sob she continued to wipe the blood from the unconscious girl's face. 

“Mittens go clean yourself up,” Emira gently pushed, taking the rag from her sister.

“No! What if she wakes up? What if she doesn't-”

“Edric and I will patch her up, you need to get that blood off you.”

Amity choked on more tears, her throat closing on her, “What if-”

“She's not going anywhere hun, We’ve got her.” Edric helped his sister to her feet. He liked to tease her, sure. Any older sibling did, it was fun to see them get frustrated at you and even more fun when they figured out how to get you back… But that didn't mean he didn't care for his sister. He pushed her in the direction of the bathroom.

“We’ve got her, Ami.” Emira nodded solemnly.

She shook vigorously, taking a few deep breaths and then nodding. Turning slowly in the direction of the shower.

The twins waited until they heard the loud spray of the shower from the bathroom, then they exchanged looks.

“What happened Em?”

Emira looked down at the girl, her face now clear of any old blood. A steady trickle made its way from her right eyebrow into her hair, which was longer, Emira noted. The eye right under her cut had begun to turn a darker shade, the lower eyelid puffing out slightly. Her nose was definitely broken as it was crooked near the bridge, and only a little cut made its way on her lower right lip, no longer bleeding, “She’ll tell us when she’s ready.”

______________

______________

Amity had quickly scrubbed her body clean of the dried blood, using probably way too much soap. Sweat clung to her as well and she regrettably noted she should probably wash her hair. 

So much swam through her head as she let the water drip over her. How long since she had seen Luz? Three years, she concluded. Three and a half years… She stopped hoping Luz would come back after a year… trying to forget about the girls smile, her laugh, her scent. No matter how much she wanted her to, Luz wasn't coming back. She knew that. 

Yet, she was here, a few rooms away, laying on her couch.

How many times, Amity thought, did she cry to herself that the girl had left so suddenly. She was her first… real friend. In a while at least. She was her first… she blushed against the shower’s hot stream… girl crush. Her first real crush, actually. All the crushes she confided to Boscha had been fake, forced. She claimed to have a crush on Fisch, a boy in her 4th year, to which Boscha of course told. He confronted her then, during their lunch break, and kissed her on the cheek, laughing and trying to run before Amity hexed him. Just for a week, a simple one, one that made his laces always tie together. And after a week of tripping around the school, the boy had never talked to Amity again. 

Amity turned down dates, dances, study sessions from boys. She always said they would be a distraction. Boscha just said it was because she was scared, Edric and Emira said it was because she was uptight, a killjoy. Her parents never said anything, supporting the fact that she wanted to stay focused on her studies. 

But it wasn't any of those reasons. She didn't like them, boys that is. She liked girls though. Keeping hidden stares and daydreams to herself. Until Luz. Luz had been so… different. She was beautiful, very dark olive skin and darker hair… She was kind, always trying her hardest to make friends and care for others. She even liked the same things Amity liked; Baby animals, Azura books, sports, fanfiction. For the first time, Amity had the hardest time hiding her crush. As before she could just distance herself and pretend it was nothing. Maybe it was the girl's stubbornness, her determination, or her sparkling eyes. But nonetheless, poor Amity was head over heels.

And then she left.

Amity turned off the shower, hopping out quickly as she realized she had probably spent too long in there. Drying herself off as she grabbed her soiled clothes, carelessly tossing them in the waste bucket. No use trying to get the blood out. 

She rushed then, to get dressed and get back to the girl’s side. She wasn’t sure what Luz’s reaction would be when she woke up. But she knew she needed to be there. This time, Amity would be there for Luz, maybe… maybe she could convince her to stay.

_____________

_____________

Luz’s arm seared in pain, the blood still freely flowing. She looked up to see Amity, on her back, trying to scoot away on her forearms as the creature bared its teeth at her. The Abomination’s form shredded and lay everywhere, and Amity was too weakened to make another one. 

Luz looked around her, she had no pen, no paper. No glyphs left. No magic left. She was powerless. 

Amity was going to get hurt because Luz couldn’t do magic.

Luz looked down and at her arm which still flowed crimson. Suddenly she had an idea, dipping her fingers in the blood that made its way down her arm. Drawing an ice glyph, a wind glyph (that was one of her newest ones she proudly beamed), and a plant glyph. 

“Hey, you ugly freak!”

Amity turned and so did the beast, looking at the human. She was standing, left arm hanging uselessly at her side. Her right hand coated in blood, and Amity realized why. There were three glyphs on the ground, she couldn't make out what but she knew they were painted with something red…

“Luz wait you can’t-”

It was too late, the beast tore towards her and the overwhelming scent of blood. Luz smiled as she slapped her bloodied hand on the three glyphs.

Luz couldn't even tell what had happened, but the magic roared, sending giant beams of ice, rivers of thorns, and unmatched wind everywhere. She couldn't make it stop. Even as the beast roared in pain and scampered away, ice and thorns embedded in its coat. It wouldn't stop raging. It kept flowing like… 

Like blood. Her blood. That was what Amity said, or tried to say. Blood magic. It was unsafe. And Luz hadn’t listened.

She ran towards Amity, who was just now trying to get up, as the wind and ice cycles and thorns whipped everywhere. Luz had almost reached her, almost gotten to her warm embrace, when Amity was dragged into the air, a giant thick vine catching on her cowl and wrapping around her neck.

Luz watched in horror as Amity choked, twelve feet above her. She cried out, screaming at Amity to try to get out. Thorns began to form at the vines, the ice turning to pelting rain, and the wind whipping harder at Luz’s tears. They continued to grow, Amity continued to struggle, Luz tried to climb the vine but was knocked down a few feet away. Luz couldn't do anything. The magic was twisting, growing angrier. Flowing. Like her blood. She needed to stop her blood. 

She looked around, then she saw it. A holy grail, a last way, a path, a failsafe. A glyph. Luz jumped up and ran toward it, shuddering at the fact that Amity had stopped crying out. She grabbed it. A fire glyph. On paper. Then without thinking, she slapped it onto her left arm and she felt lava. It was on her arm. It was licking at her skin. It was. Closing the blood flow. 

She watched as her blood magic seemed to squeal. Withering in pain. And finally ceasing as the fire stopped to reveal the blood had been stopped. Her wounds closing. 

“Amity-” Luz breathlessly let out, looking up and seeing just the moment the plant shuddered and let the young girl go. 

Luz ran and caught her just as she plummeted to the ground. 

Lowering her, Luz noticed in horror the bruise forming around her neck. Then pulling back her hand at something warm at the back of Amity’s head. Amity’s blood. 

“H-hey…” Luz choked out, wincing at the weight on her burned arm, “Ami…. Amity….”

Amity didn't move.

Luz choked back a sob as she held the girl's chest to her ear. She couldn't hear anything. 

“Amity!”

“Luz!”

She could recognize the sound of Willow's voice anywhere, but she didn't care anymore. 

“Amity please,” Luz shook her, to no avail.

Voices filled her head as witches showed up, and she felt hands. Hands all over her. Picking her up and pulling her back, touching her. Touching Amity.

“Amity!!” Luz screamed out, her voice growing hoarse, as the girl was pulled away from her. 

“No! NO! Amity!! Let go of me!” Luz thrashed against the unknown hands, Amity being pulled away. She couldn't see her anymore. Not through the tears. 

“Shhh… Luz, it's okay….”

“Amity! Amity no!” Luz shuddered, finally stopping her fight against the arms that held her. 

“Ami…” Luz groaned as she felt a pulsing in her head, and with the speed of a sleep spell, Luz let herself go limp. Letting herself close her eyes. Willing herself to stop breathing as well.

Amity had gotten hurt because Luz had done magic. 

***

Luz woke up to an absolutely pounding headache. Her nose hurt, her eyes hurt, her eyebrow hurt? She tried to open her eyes but the lights were way too bright. Only furthering her headache, she whined as she tried to recall what had happened. 

She remembered running. Robert. Luz scrunched her nose in disgust, stopping immediately when it brought her pain. The coffee shop? She groaned. Reaching up her left hand to rub her face, bringing it up on her left cheek, raising it to her forehead and stopping when her fingertips brushed cloth. Why was her head wrapped? Had she fallen while she was running? Had she been hit by a car? She laughed at that, or tried to, more like. 

The thought of being hit by a car was funny, at least to her, but it hurt to laugh. Luz groaned even more when the little scoff of a laugh was greeted with instant pain in her ribs. Her left hand lowered from her head to her collarbone, brushing against bare skin. Was she naked? No. Her fingers trailed further down and touched more cloth. It went from her armpits all the way down to her abdomen, resting an inch above her belly button. Then, quickly her hand flew to her hips, gratefully feeling the fabric of jeans. She was still wearing her pants.

Suddenly, it came back to her. The bottle to the back of her head, the running away, the note to the cafe door, the boys from school, the-

That was the last thing she remembered. She could remember Derek touching her shoulders, her collar bone, breathing on her face, her neck. Then he- 

He was thrown off. By who? Was she in a hospital?

Luz was tired of the mystery, willing her eyes to open against the begs from her head. Her eyes darted around the room. She could see that she was on a couch, she saw countless shelves of books on the wall furthest from her, looking down she could see that across from her there was a kitchen, it was kinda messy. But what terrified her was that she didn’t recognize it. It wasn't home, Olly’s house, Ms. Lelain’s house, or a hospital. Did Derek kidnap her? She quickly put that aside, she doubted Derek could read.

Then, a shudder came from next to her, suddenly making Luz realize that something was in her right hand. Her breath shook her to the core as she looked into her peripheral, seeing a green blob. 

She turned her head quickly, too quickly. White spots formed in her vision and she closed her eyes until she felt regular again. Pushing back the feeling of nausea.

She opened her eyes again, looking right next to her, and her breath caught in her throat, “Amity?”

The girl that held her hand was kneeling beside her, her head resting on the couch, on top of her unoccupied arm. That girl was Amity. 

In shock, Luz pulled her arm away, and attempted to sit up. Waking Amity in the process.

“Luz!” Amity’s head whipped up to reveal lines on her face where she slept too hard. 

“Ah! Woah-” Luz was sitting up now, and accompanied by severe vertigo. She tried to stop to balance herself but the pain in her ribs accompanied, causing her to groan and lay back down on the couch.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Your head is going to hurt for a bit, your chest too.” Amity rubbed the sleep from her eyes and stood up, walking towards the kitchen.

“Eugh…” Luz groaned, looking straight up at the ceiling.

Amity returned shortly, a cool rag in her hand. She sat back down and Luz turned her head to face her as the green-haired witch dabbed the rag at Luz’s forehead. 

It was then Luz got a good look at Amity. Her face was thinner, but healthy. She would say the witch had gotten paler but she didn’t think it was possible. It had been so long since she’d seen her. Amity’s hair was longer, she assumed, as it was tied into a straight ponytail. It was still dyed green, although not recently, as brown roots showed prominently on her head. Her honey golden eyes were just as bright as Luz remembered, although now they were filled with concern. 

“Hey, Amity.” Luz mustered up a smile, looking the girl in her eyes. 

Amity looked at her with a soft smile, the worry replaced with a quiet reassurance. 

“Hi, Luz.”

No matter how much Luz hated to admit it, she missed the witch. Terribly so. She missed talking to her, walking around school with her, playing grudgeby with her, their Azura book club. Which, Luz hated to admit, she still read. She missed how kind everyone was in the Boiling Isles. Mostly everyone. At least at this school she was welcomed, not greeted by names like ‘dirty half-mexican.’ to which Luz held back a ‘Im dominican not…” because they never listened. At Hexside. She had friends. Bullies too. But the bullies were easier to face with Amity. And Willow. And Gus. It was easier knowing she had Eda to go back to, and King. Maybe Hooty. She forgot why she ever left.

Luz licked her dry lips, prompting Amity to turn around to grab a cup of water. 

“I missed-” Luz started but her eyes fell on the back of Amity’s neck, a long and thick gash, maybe two centimeters wide and four inches long, from the bottom of her left pointed ear and up into the back of her head, through her undercut disappearing with the longer strands of hair. That was why she left.

She did that.

Luz had hurt Amity. 

The thorn on the vine that wrapped around Amity’s neck, digging into her skin as Luz desperately looked for a way to stop the blood magic.

Luz almost killed-

That was why she left. She was careless, clumsy, and she had hurt the person she loved. A human doesn't belong here, especially a human like he-

“Hm?” Amity hummed, bringing back a big glass of water which Luz gratefully took. 

Luz drank it quickly, hoping the water would cure her, and let her be healed. Because the sooner she could get up the sooner she could leave and go back… home…

She didn't want to. God knows that much. But she couldn't stay because Amity-

Luz’s face must've played while drinking because Amity took the water from her and pushed her gently back down, “You need to rest, Luz, Emira went to the market to get more healing patches since we ran out.”

Luz furrowed her eyebrows.  _ Emira? _

“You need to rest, you’re still badly bruised.”

Luz brought her left hand and panicked to her neck, feeling for the key.

“Amity I need to-”

“Shhh, no no it's okay. I have the key. We took it off when-” She blushed, “When Emira bandaged your chest.”

Luz looked at her with a grimace.

“I didn't look, I swear!” Amity held up both hands, “Emira did it and she made me and Edric leave.”

For some reason that made Luz feel better. 

“You’re gonna have to wait until you're healed to go back home.” Amity stood up, walking across the room to a large chest, opening it and pulling out a badly knitted blanket, “Until then I have it, just so it won't get lost…”

She placed the blanket over Luz, and even though it had many holes it proved very warm.

“Sorry about that blanket, it's the best one for right now. You kinda threw up on the other ones…”

Luz felt a pang of embarrassment followed by hunger, “Oh Dios, don't say I-”

“It's okay Luz really, it wasn't that bad.” Amity picked up a few stray wrappers and bandage tubes, placing them on the coffee table, “For now you have Edric’s very first attempt at picking up a new hobby.”

Luz laughed silently, hoping it would lessen the pain on her ribs. Realizing just then how tired she felt.

“You can sleep. It's okay, I'm gonna start preparing dinner for when the twins get home.” Amity looked over at Luz from the kitchen, and surprise herself when she found Luz had already fallen asleep on the couch. 

“Sorry Luz… I hate lying to you.”

______________

______________

“So” Camila stood, arms hugging herself, looking around the police station.

Ms. Lelain was giving a statement to one of the detectives, tears filled her eyes and her old shoulders shook. Camila couldn't hear her, but she knew what the Cafe owner had found.

Her voice broke, “This is all you have from my daughter?” 

She looked down at the table, tears brimming in her eyes. 

Looking at the table that held Luz’s cat headphones, her now ruined jacket, a towel with blood on it, and a necklace attached to a key.

  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all! Dawg!! Im so sorry for making you wait on a new chapter oop. I really died for awhile. I really had not had a day off in a fat minute but look at me go!!! IM BACK!  
> ~~~  
> I hope this chapter was worth the wait and y'all will be happy to hear I have a few extra chapters lined up for the week. Please please please don't just read and ditch me :) Kudos are great and Comments are better :')   
> If anyone is good at reviews that would be stupendous if yall could tell me what i can improve on. Or just flatter me in comments. Tell me im pretty. Whatever works. I love yall so much and I hope you have an uneventful thanksgiving. Wish me luck as something is BOUND to be brought up especially after the election and especially during Covid. Have a great rest of your day :)


	3. Bruised Ribs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emira says a Few Choice Words

All Amity could do now was cook. If cooking was stirring the pot of soup Emira had put together. And as Emira left to get more patches, she screamed at Amity; “Don’t touch the soup! And if Edric gets back, make sure he doesn't touch it either… you two would burn a pot of water!” Which was true, Edric and Amity had multiple times set something in the kitchen on fire. Finally banned from making food when Edric caught his cereal on fire, the subject was still sore whenever Emira brought it up.

“I was in an accident!”

“How do you catch cereal on fire Edric? How?!”

Edric never explained, and he never got his kitchen privileges back.

Now, Amity abandoned the pot of warming soup. Turning to clean the messy kitchen, it was the twins’ turn to clean last night, but with Amity's… interruption, they abandoned all duties. Leaving Amity to clean. She didn’t mind. Just more time to think.

As she turned to give Luz her water earlier, Amity heard a soft little gasp. And Luz’s demeanor changed. She closed off more, whispered, stopped trying to smile at her. Amity knew why at least she thought she did. Well, because usually healing patches, when applied early, would get rid of any sign of a scar. And in Amity’s case, it didn't. The healing patches healed most of her wounds and scratches from that day. But one scar still remained, from the thorn that wrapped around her neck. The wound was treated differently, as it was more dangerous. It was too close to her arteries, the doctors relayed, to trust solely patch magic to heal. It wasn’t Luz’s fault. But she never got to tell her that. Luz had run away, ashamed.

Amity looked back over to Luz. _ Maybe,  _ she thought,  _ this time I can talk to her. Tell her it's not her fault. Tell her I’m okay. It would have to wait though…  _ Edric burst into the apartment.

“Amity!”

“Titan-- Edric don't do that!.” Amity held her hand to her heart, keeping it from bursting out of her chest. Edric stood cartoonishly in the entrance of the apartment.

“Sorry! Sorry…” he looked over to the couch, the girl had a new blanket on her, “Did-”

“Yeah she woke up, she's still hurt though.” Amity ran a wet rag over the counter, which Edric 

leaned his forearms on.

“That's expected, yeah. Emira said she’ll get some more healing stuff, right? So we can give her some headache potion and-”

“Edric,” Amity looked up at the rambling twin, “Did you find anything?”

The boy sighed, laying his head on the cool counter, “No, The Owl Lady is a real tough bird to find.”

Amity groaned, if anything could make this situation better, it was Eda. The Owl Lady had disappeared not long after Luz, staying only for a few weeks, in hopes the girl would come back. She hadn’t. But Amity had never heard any news concerning the witch, so she assumed she was still out there. Or hoped. 

Eda would want to know, though. About Luz’s return. Amity would bet all her snail’s worth that Eda missed the kid terribly. Even though Luz was less of a kid now. She was still, Eda’s kid.

Edric made his way to Luz’s side, brushing the hair that stuck to her face away, “I missed her.”

“What?”

“We didn’t hang out as much as you and her, or the owl lady, or the Willow girl, but she was fun.” Edric leaned over, rearranging the blanket so it fully covered her, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the horrible crochet job on the poor blanket. “She was grossly nice though, remember when we went to the library to drop off your lunch that one time? And Luz was there?”

Amity sighed, placing down the rag and returning to the living room, sitting on her legs as she lowered to the carpeted floor, “I was so mean to her then.”

Edric laughed, “You were mean to everyone, Mittens. Luz was just another obstacle to mom and dad’s dream.”

“Yeah but-” Amity groaned.

“It's okay, we were mean too. Luz, actually, made us stop. Being mean, to you, that is.” Edric crossed his legs over each other on the coffee table, “We were going to read your diary and we were invading your personal space and Luz… she told us to stop. Even after you were mean to her. She cared about you, obviously.”

“And she still does.”

The two siblings turned their heads to the door, where Emira stood.

The girl had two big bags in her arms, her hair was cut into a scraggly bob, courtesy of herself and Edric trying to fix the uneven bits. She hooked her foot around the door and kicked it closed, earning a yell from next door about keeping the door-slamming to a minimum. Which caused Emira to sigh all-too-loudly. She came to the living room, placing the bags on the table Edric sat on.

“She cared about you so much, and if Luz is one thing, it's stubborn. I doubt she would change her view on you know.”

Amity sighed again, burying her face in her hands, “I know. I just- I don't know how to make things better.”

“Just…” Emira bent over, fixing Amity’s loose ponytail, “Just treat her like you always did, like a friend.”

________________

________________

“So you have no idea where my daughter could be.”

“Honey-”

“No! We’ve been here all night and day and nothing has happened!” Camila’s voice was like poison to whoever heard it, it was void of any wavering tone, she was pissed. 

“Ma’am we’re trying all we can to find her it’s just-”

The chief was cut off by another officer, walking in with a radio attached to her hip, “Chief Karmion, there's been some evidence brought on the Noceda Case.”

As much as it heightened her hopes, Camila hated that statement. It was a case. The Noceda Case. Her daughter's disappearance had been highlighted to those three words and they meant nothing.

“What is the nature of the evidence?”

“A nearby store scanned their video feeds on the security cams and were able to provide a higher-resolution depiction of events.”

Ms Lelain, who had not yet left the station, her wife lovingly bringing coffee and food for them, stood up with the Noceda’s. “Let us see.” She must've said...it came from her but she did not remember thinking to say that.

“Please you cannot-”

Mrs Noceda turned her stormy eyes at the Chief of Police, “We will watch. I need to know what has happened to my daughter.”

Robert stood with the two women, his large hand placed gently on his wife’s shoulder. Which she shrugged harshly off. He looked to the officer and nodded, standing with them. Needing to know- no- needing his wife to know what had transpired in that alley.

The officer sighed, motioning the group over to the other side of the police station, down hallways and into a dark room, where a dozen computer screens sat with different pinpoints on their monitors. The biggest one, the one sat directly in the center, held on a frame. A street view across the alley. They could see the coffee shop, a mere sliver on the corner, and the vast alley in the dead center of the frame.

The five, including the Chief and Officer, stood around the chair of the technical analyst. Entrusting that they could all see, they commanded the tech to press play on the video.

It was grainy at first, but with a few clicks from the analyst, the picture enhanced, and they watched. Ms Lelain kept her eyes set on the corner, where her coffee shop stood. Then, she saw something, a sliver of purple.

“There!” She gasped out, pointing her bony finger to the edge where the silver stood for a few seconds, then walked the rest of the way on frame. 

The chief cleared his throat, prompting the analyst to zoom onto the picture and refine it once more. Now only the alley was in view. 

Camila looked with tired eyes, seeing her daughter walk up to the corner. The picture was still grainy, but she could see, even with tired, unfocused eyes, her daughter was crying. She rubbed her forehead with both palms of her hand, and suddenly turned into the alley. The techie zoomed again, so they could see three looming figures in the dark, Camila’s daughter walking right into them, not paying attention as she continued to rub her head. 

She looked at the time, 5:45. It was getting dark on the video, already. Which was to be expected of November. Then she watched the figures, enhanced even more as the analyst typed away lines of code on a separate computer. It was enough to see what was happening, and to who. But they couldn't see the faces of the other three people in the alley.

Ms. Noceda felt a small grip on her left arm that she figured was Ms. Lelain. Then they watched, as Luz backed herself into a wall, they watched as one of the figures got close to her, close enough for Luz to- yep. Camila’s chest couldn't help but puff with pride when Luz took a swing at the not-yet-assailant. Then her pride was sucked out of her, as Luz ran right into the other two people in the alley. She watched, as her daughter turned, right into the fist of the man she had kicked down. Ms. Lelain clutched Camila’s arm harder as the girl crumpled to the ground. Tears made their way freely now, as they all watched the three figures take turns kicking the girl who was already down. 

“No…” The old coffee shop owner gasped, looking in horror as they finally stopped, the figure shaking on the ground. She could see the crimson pool coming from Luz’s face.

Then, the first boy got down to Luz’s level, he was on top of her, the figures blurring together as they watched the boy take off the purple jacket, tossing it to the side. 

“That’s en-” Robert began, extending his hand to Camila but she slapped it away. She needed to see this.

They watched, silently, the analyst too, as the boy ran his hands down Luz’s face, on top of her neck and- her…

A burst of white light shook the camera, the video feed distorting and skipping between different hours of the day.

“What's going on?” 

The analyst shook her head, “Something is garbling the feed, I can't decode it.”

The camera returned to the frame, catching the three boys running out of the alley and into the street, looking horrified. 

“Stop!” Ms. Lelain ordered, and the analyst did so, “Right there!” She pointed at the face of one of the boys, she could easily tell who it was, even with the texture of the recording.

“Are you sure, Miss?” The chief tapped the analyst's shoulder, prompting them to zoom up into the face of the boy, enhancing it ever so slightly.

“Of course,” Ms. Lelain could recognize that boys face anywhere, “That's Ramond Benett

_______________

_______________

Luz’s headache had subsided, only a dull ache resonating from her upper jaw and the bridge of her nose. She could feel the warmth of the healing patches on her bare skin, even as she was half-asleep. Murmurs turning to whispers, and nothing turning to the smell of chicken, Luz opened her eyes.

“Edric? Emira?” Luz groaned, propping herself up on her forearms.

They definitely looked different, Edric’s hair was longer, but shaved on the sides, while Emira’s hair was shorter, sloppily chopped just below her ears. They had both grown a bit taller, if possible. They were already very tall before Luz left. At least, they were in her mind.

The two turned to her, smiles on their faces, “Luz!” They rushed to hug her, sending her into the side of the couch.

“Haha, ow.” Luz breathed under their grip, as the two had definitely grown stronger while she was gone, too.

“Sorry! Sorry.” Emira let go, urging Edric to do the same, “You aren’t fully healed yet, but soon you’ll be better than ever.”

The girl regained herself on the couch, uprighting herself to lean against the cushions and twisted herself so her legs came off the side of the couch. A tentative hand brought itself to her stomach, where she could feel that it was going to bruise.

“I’m a healer!” Emira practically yelled, “Not a good one yet, which is why you're still… not entirely healed.”

“You did a good enough job.” Luz let out with a groan, rubbing her abdomen “I can barely feel where…” She hesitated. Had Amity known what happened? Did she tell the twins? Luz hardly remembered herself what had happened, she flinched slightly as she most definitely did remember. Feeling the grip on her shoulders and the concrete on her back and the hot breath brushing her…

“Luz! Luz, it's okay. Breathe. You can breathe.” Edric placed his hand on her knee and she immediately recoiled at the touch, earning a curse from the boy, “Sorry, ugh that was stupid. Just breathe.”

She was having a panic attack, Edric figured. After the little bit of information, Amity had told him and the shape Luz was in, that was expected. Edric backed up from the girl, mimicking deep, heavy breaths to get Luz to follow. 

“C’mon Luz. in and out. Just breathe like me, okay?” Emira kneeled down, looking up into Luz’s face.

Luz rubbed furiously at eyes that began to glisten with tears, pulling her hands back to run her fingers through her hair and down to her neck. She copied Edric's soothing voice and they began to slow, finally becoming controlled and quiet.

She shuddered violently and hiccuped, realizing. She… she just had a panic attack… in front of them. The twins. 

“ _ Oh, Dios…” _ She groaned, her face growing hotter. “ _ Lo Siento,-  _ I… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-”

Luz turned brown eyes to look up into the honey gold that we’re Emira’s.

“Babe, you don't have to say sorry.” The elder sister reached her hand out, brushing it on the girl's hot face. Frowning then, and bringing her hand up to the teenager’s forehead, cursing to herself, “Luz...I think you have a fever.”

That was probably why Luz felt so cold, her muscles aching and her sudden light-headedness showing reason as she leaned her back all the way on the couch, letting her muscles relax.

“Makes sense…” Luz watched as Edric got up, crossing into the kitchen to grab a washcloth, holding it under the sink which ran cold water.

Emira sat still, looking at Luz’s face. Luz could tell what was next. She wanted to know what happened, she wasn't even sure Amity knew what happened. All she figured thus far was that Amity somehow opened the portal at just the right time…

“What happened to you, Luz?” Luz looked over to Emira as they made eye contact. The golden eyes swim with fear, worry, and sadness. She had caused that.

Edric and Emira were somewhat close to Luz the… the first time she was at the Boiling Isles. Luz had always wanted an older sister or an older brother. And her new friend Amity had both. They were tricksters, pulling pranks and teasing their baby sister. Luz saw it as admirable. Because they clearly loved her. They were all so close. Edric and Emira and Amity. They cared for each other. She wondered if they knew that it was Luz’s fault Amity got hurt all those years ago, they would definitely hate her if they knew. And now here they were, caring and worrying and fussing over a girl that caused their little sister so much harm. She wished they wouldn't. 

Give Luz the key, get her out of their hair. Luz would leave, not given another chance at the painful reminder that she couldn’t do magic, that she had hurt someone. Not to give her the chance again. Luz wished they would, she wished they would laugh at her for being a  _ useless  _ human, incapable of magic, incapable of anything important. She wished they would push her out, force her to leave and she would gladly do so. Not even fight as she knew it was more than fair. Luz was lucky Amity was only hurt. She could have lost a limb… she could have…  _ died. _

After giving Luz the key and kicking her out Luz would just go back home and-

Back home.

Robert.

What could she do? Crash at Ms. Lelain’s house? Go sleepover at Olly’s? Go back home and see… him again?

She couldn't do any of those. She could dye her hair, change her name, live in the woods on berries and the help of forest friends… But Luz knew that was stupid. A childish thought. She pushed it away immediately. Stupid. She would have to go back… home.

“Luz?” Edric ran the wet rag over her forehead, causing Luz to stir from her thoughts. 

“Huh?” She snapped her neck back to Edric, too fast, she realized as she was hit with a wave of dizziness. 

“He said-” Emira watched as Luz’s eyes temporarily fogged over and then refocused, “We want to help, but we need to know what happened…”

Luz sighed, carding her hand through strands of hair, reaching up to the bandage on the back of her head, “Its not-”

“Don’t say it's nothing,” Amity walked in from the front door. And Luz felt the heat return to her cheeks, whether it was adoration or shame, she didn't know. But she looked down anyway, avoiding the look of her former friend. 

They all caught it, exchanging sad glances as Amity closed the distance between them. 

Amity made her way to the coffee table, sitting on top of it and scooching forward so her knees bumped with Luz, who still kept her eyes locked on a thread coming out of the couch as if it were the most intriguing thing in the Boiling Isles.

“Hey.”

Luz looked up to Amity, she felt her eyes sting with new-found tears, but she forced them back.

She missed her.

“Talk to me.” Amity’s eyebrows furrowed together in worry, and Luz couldn't avoid the sadness in her eyes. 

She let out a long sigh, “I was just…” Luz honestly didn't know what to say, that her stepdad threw his beer at her? That it was hardly the first time? That he’d done worse? No. Luz looked away for a split second but locked again on Amity’s golden eyes. 

“I was going to a coffee shop, near my house.” The siblings leaned forward to Luz’s tiny and wavering voice, Luz trying her best to swallow the painful lump that grew in her throat, “But it was closed when I got there. I… I thought I heard… someone. Someone coming down the road when I was walking away. So I went into an alley.”

She rubbed her temple with the palm of her hand, “That was dumb, stupid, I know. I just… I didn't want to deal with... anyone. And then, then I ran into these three boys I knew from school. They… they weren't nice. They used to call me names at school, making fun of my accent, my mom, where… where I come from. And they said- they said it was all fun… that they really were teasing me.” She knew they weren't. “Then, I tried to get away, one of the boys got real close to my face and… and….” Luz’s throat tightened as she recalled the event, the pain she felt, how scared she was, how much she wanted to go… to go here.

“Hey… hey it's okay.” Amity put her hand on Luz’s knee and this time the girl did not flinch.

She sobbed while wringing her hands in her lap, letting the tears drip down on top of her jeans.

“I wanted to leave so bad but he pushed me down, they were laughing at me.” The words came out now like hot lava, she couldn't stop it and the more they left her mouth, the more she wanted to say, “He was t...touching me, t...taking, taking my jacket off me…”

Luz wrapped her arms around her torso, suddenly feeling very exposed and very cold.

“I… I…” 

“Oh Luz,” Emira and Edric came closer now, placing their hands on Amity’s shaking shoulders.

“Its… It's okay,” Luz wiped away tears that made their way down her cheeks, “I don't remember much after that. He must’ve kicked me a bit too hard because I passed out.”

“Oh, that Pig!” Emira stood up, stomping around the living room in a line, “I swear if I knew what he looked like, oh that poor motherfu-”

“Emira!” Edric yelled out.

“-cker…” Emira finished, glaring in her twins’ direction, “Luz you gotta take me to the human realm I swear I’ll beat the ever-loving shit out of him.”

Edric stood up then, attempting to stop the flood of curses about to leave his sisters mouth, while Luz and Amity turned beet red from trying to withhold laughter. Luz looked everywhere but at the green-haired girl in front of her. It was funny, she never heard anyone curse here before. She guessed the curse words were the same. Then, Luz accidentally made eye contact with Amity, who was also (very unsuccessfully) trying to suppress laughter. The two locked eyes, their faces growing redder from trying not to laugh. Then Luz giggled.

Tears came to Amity’s eyes as she let out a very loud, boisterous laugh, not loud enough to cover Emira’s swearing, as she continued to ramble.

“No Edric! I won't rest until this damned son of a bitch is BEGGING for mercy! I’ll shove a fucking abomination so far up his-”

“Emira!” Edric said, lighter this time, turning her to look at the two teenagers, who were doubled over laughing. 

Sure, it hurt a little, Luz was sure she had a bruised rib at least, but she still laughed. And as she leaned over herself and wiped fresh but different tears from her cheeks, she realized that she hadn't laughed this hard in a while. She hadn’t laughed in the Boiling Isles in awhile. She hadn’t laughed with Amity in awhile… She hated how she wanted to stop laughing, that pain in her chest turning to something else.

She shouldn't be laughing with her. Did Amity forget that Luz hurt her? Was she stupid?  _ Obviously not _ , Luz thought. But then why did she still care for her. Why, after all, Luz has done, she still laughs with her like nothing ever happened?

________________

________________

Ms. Noceda dredged up the stairs of her house, reaching the door of her daughter’s room.

The police were to be locating the boy Ms. Lelain mentioned, but until they had information from him, the chief asked her to go home. She had resisted at first, but the lack of sleep and lack of… Luz had torn her down. Dark circles formed deeply under her eyes in such a way that she knew one night of sleep would not erase. But how could she sleep? Her daughter was still out there. Somewhere.

She opened the door, breathing in the scent of her daughter. Lemon and cinnamon. She loved those smells, remembering Luz begging her to buy some scented candles when they were grocery shopping. Camila only agreed if Luz promised not to leave them burning at night, she had, and so she had a small army of scented candles resting on her nightstand. 

Camila brought herself to her daughter’s bed, curling herself up on the unkempt bed and pulling in Luz’s baby blanket. She kept it all her life, the blanket Camila’s mom had given her when she was pregnant, she still had it on her bed seventeen or so years later… 

The moment she came home to Luz missing played over in her head. She didn’t know what to think. She came home from the grocery store, bringing her groceries inside and calling for Luz to come help put the things away. She began placing items in their designated cupboards when Luz still had not come down.

“Where is Luz?” Camila called to her husband, who was sitting on the couch, a new beer in hand. She didn't bother with asking him to help yet, he had just had a very difficult shift.

“Hm?” came the voice from the living room.

“Your daughter? Luz?”

“Oh… she's probably in her room.”

She wasn't in there, she searched the whole house. Camila searched the yard, the garage, yelling her daughters name and checking places that didn't make sense. Calling and texting her phone, but it went straight to voicemail. She knew she was probably being irrational, crazy, a little over-reactive. But something dug into her, a sickness that she knew wasn’t what she wanted it to be. Something was wrong. A mother knows. She thought, running back into the kitchen to call the police. 

“What's wrong?”

He had finally pulled himself into the kitchen to see his wife, tears brimming and face flushed.

“Where did my daughter go, Robert?”

He backed up, looking around the room, “She wasn't in her room?”

“No!” Camila took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose, “We need to call the police.”

“Woah Woah not yet, we should look some more!” Robert put his hand on Camilas, resting it on the counter, but she jerked it away.

“How in hell's name did you lose a teenager?!  _ Siento que voy a estar enferma, dios.  _ Were you not paying attention?” She took a step back, her face gaining color again as it turned red.

“What did you want me to do Camila? You think I just sit around and keep constant surveillance on our daughter?!” His voice rose too. The beer bottle shaking in his hand. 

“I left her with you! And now she's gone!” She came close to him, poking her index finger into his chest. 

Then, he threw his bottle down with a great force, causing the thing to shatter on the kitchen tile. One stray shard caught itself on Camila’s exposed ankle, causing a rivulet of blood to drip down. She flinched hard, not knowing what to expect at this sudden outburst. Tears making their way down her chin.

Robert immediately softened, “Oh god, Camila...” he reached out to her and she turned away, walking to the sink to get a rag for her leg.

She silently reached into the junk drawer for a band-aid, cleaning off her leg in silence, and disbelief. She had never seen Robert lose his temper like that. Not once had he thrown something when he was mad. It shocked her.

In the silence, Robert bent down and cleaned up the mess he made. He slowly mopped up the beer, sweeping the glass into a paper bag and disposing of it, finally making his way back to his wife, who sat at the island counter, texting Luz. 

“I'm sorry, I- I don't know what came over me. Camila, I am so sorry.” He came from behind her, wrapping his warm arms around her shoulder and planting a kiss to the top of her head, this time she didn't flinch away. 

“We’ll find her, she’ll probably come back in the morning. But you have to keep calm… this... this isn't my fault.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :)  
> Im so glad its not Roberts fault that Luz is missing :)  
> -  
> Whew! Sorry about the delay fellas! I hop you enjoyed this chapter! please comment and leave kudos! I love hearing from you all! Tell me what you liked, didnt like, what stuck with you, how youre doing, everything!  
> -  
> The reason it took so long for this chapter was my laptop ugh. I just saved up for this really nice laptop and now she doesnt even charge anymore wth. I spent 2,000 on this badboy and she breaks not even seven months after getting her... Oh well, I have to go to the vet tomorrow for my pet Catra so Ill go to the laptop doctor, too while im out.  
> -  
> Dont forget to like and comment! :) Love yall!


	4. Memories Down

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Amity tries to get to the bottom of Luz's behavior recently.

Amity decided to take the week off. It was the least she could do, and after a lot of overtime work and unused holiday hours, she could afford it. But, as she cleaned up the kitchen after breakfast, she made a note not to mention it to Luz. She didn't know what happened, but she knew Luz did not like to see people giving things up for her. It was like, everything reminded her of that time in the forest. And Amity didn't blame Luz for it, but she wasn't sure if Luz knew that.

Emira and Edric seemed to calm the girl down when they were with her, stirring up a twang of jealousy from Amity. She wished Luz would stop walking on eggshells around her, acting as if the slightest smile or word would send her. Luz was still on edge, but less so with the twins around. Making this moment a little better for Amity, as the twins were both out. Emira going to the healers for work and Edric running a grocery store three blocks down. It was a little selfish, Amity supposed, that she was glad the twins were gone even when they gave Luz more comfort, but she really needed the girl alone. 

As if on cue, Luz stirred in her sleep. She didn’t wake, more like mumbled and turned around, she was doing that a lot. The tanned girl lay on her back on the couch, her head propped up by one small throw pillow. Her eyebrows furrowed together, mumbles growing louder as she thrashed a bit, causing Amity to rush over to her in a hurry. 

“Hey, hey Luz.” Amity knelt down to her side, awkwardly placing her hands on the edge of the cushions, and she was glad the twins were both at work so they couldn't make fun of her.

She continued to mumble, some of it in the other language Amity didn't understand. Mumbles of “No” and “Stop it” and “Mom” could be heard over the sound of blankets being tossed aside.

“Luz calm down, it's just me!” Amity reached her hand out, carding her hands through the hair that went over her bandage on her forehead. 

That seemed to be the wrong move, as Luz bolted up, breathless and sweaty.

“Woah!” Amity shouted, with Luz who shouted out something incoherent.

“Oh… ughh.” The tanned girl sat up the rest of the way, swinging her legs off the side.

“Oh shoot, sorry Luz. You’re probably dizzy… I'll get you water!” Amity said, maybe a little too quickly, but a dark hand grabbed onto her forearm before she could get up.

“No, it's okay… I can get it.” Luz spoke, her voice gravelly from sleep, “Heh, I need to get walking anyway.”

Amity watched as Luz stood up, and followed her into the small kitchen, “Do you know where the cups are?” She sat at the island counter, resting her arms on the cool stone.

“I'll find them,” Luz turned, looking at Amity with a smile that didn't quite reach the rest of her face, “I've always known my way around the kitchen. Actually, my friend-”

She stopped as she opened the cup cupboard, finding a tall glass and looking down to the ground. She was holding back, Amity noted. The Luz she knew would always rush into stories and tales with such excitement. Now, she seemed to be stopping herself from it.

“Go on…” Amity let out a light laugh, attempting to lighten the mood.

Luz’s shoulders untensed the tiniest bit as she walked toward the sink, turning on the water and running it for a few seconds, “Olly, that's my friend's name. They took me to their house for a school project once, we were paired together in Economics. But Olly’s moms, they have the weirdest layout for a kitchen ever!”

“Like what?” Amity watched as Luz downed the entire glass of water and began to fill it again.

“It was a cottage built in the 1900s originally. Which was like, a really long time ago on earth. But, there was no kitchen, and it was fixed later to have it added on. So the kitchen was practically a maze. And one of Olly’s moms had this wild sense of style, so it was really strange. But the first time I came over, I immediately knew where the utensils were. It was so weird but I loved it, they all joked that I was the immortal that built the house and that's why I knew where stuff was.”

Amity tried not to stare as Luz rambled, some of the things she was saying we're not making any sense to her but she loved it. Amity loved the way Luz rambled. 

“Woah calm down!” Amity shouted as Luz downed another glass of water, “Thirsty much?”

Luz choked a little on the water, setting the glass on the counter, “Sometimes I forget how good water is. I accidentally-”

Amity looked down as Luz continued to talk, bringing her eyes down to Luz’s arm, where two lighter scars ran diagonally across her upper arm. They were right where that monster scratched her… but she had healing patches. Healing patches don't leave scars.

“Luz…”

“Hm?”

“What happened to your arm? Is that from the monster? I thought about healing patches…”

Luz’s face fell, she turned her head to look at the arm, raising her other hand to brush against the indented skin, “No… This happened- It happened after I left…” Luz shook her head, turning to place her glass in the sink.

“Oh… What happened?” Amity tried not to pry, watching as Luz washed the glass. She pulled her sleeve to attempt to cover the scar, but it showed something different on her back as the neckline was pulled down. Amity noted the beginning of similar scars on the girls back.

“So, you guys live here?” Luz said, spinning around.

“Yeah, we got an apartment after I left my parents house. They were so mad about me slipping in school after the-”

“-oh” Luz finished her sentence, already knowing where it was going, her voice small.

The two stayed silent for a spell. The implied reference to that night in the forest left them both awkwardly standing, no one wanting to break the silence.

“Luz, you know-”

Her tone was soft, welcoming, and understanding. But Luz still shook it off, talking over Amity.

“How about we sit down again? I'm getting lightheaded…”

“Oh yeah of course!” Amity knew that wasn't why she knew that she was only distracting them, but she also had to know that they needed to talk about it later. Eventually.

Luz went to the couch, sitting down and pulling the misshapen blanket over herself. She folded her arms over it and crunched up, almost in a fetal position on the side of the couch. Amity watched as Luz sat silently, looking anywhere but the witch.

The pale teen sat for a moment, letting out a long sigh and then stepping away to her room. She rummaged around for a bit, pulling out a deep chest that sat in her closet. Deep in the left side of the chest, were a stack of books. She pulled them all out, carrying them in her arms to the couch.

Luz looked up for a second, attempting to look away, but curiosity took over as she looked at the stack of books. Amity walked next to her and placed the stack on the coffee table. Then she pulled out an oracle orb, feeling around under the couch for the remote.

“Here.” she thrust the remote into Luz’s lap, “I have books, we have the oracle orb, I have magazines… I just... you should be resting. But I know resting is super boring, so here.”

Luz looked down at all the items and looked up to Amity, she had guilt in her eyes and Amity didn’t want to leave, but she knew that was what Luz wanted.

“I'm going to the store, do you want any snacks while I’m out?”

Amity walked around, picking up a few items off the floor and putting them away. She reached over to the counter, grabbing the apartment keys and a bag of snails. As she prepared to leave silently, she heard Luz reluctantly opening a book, and began turning pages.

She sighed, taking that as her time to leave and she walked toward the exit. But before she could step out, Luz cleared her throat.

“Amity… Why are you doing this?”

Amity looked behind her and smiled, Luz looked really tired, “Because, you're my friend… and…” Amity hesitated, “I care about you.” She really wanted to say she loved her, but… it wasn't the right time.

A defeated sigh came from Luz and Amity smiled sadly back at her, “Try to get more rest, okay?”

The door closed behind her and Amity felt her face grow red again. So she did still feel that way about Luz...

Neat.

_________________  
_________________

Luz waited in a sadly familiar way, she waited a few minutes, sitting in the silence. Until she was sure she was alone. Then she stood up, walking around the apartment. 

When Robert would be home with Luz, she could usually avoid his wrath. She would recognize his footsteps and what time he would be leaving and coming back. She recognized the sound of his car, the sound of his movements and his friends. She used this all to her advantage.

It was perfect at first. When her mom and Robert were dating he would rarely lose his temper, he yelled once at Luz, to which he immediately apologized. But something obviously changed when they got married. Slowly, he began to change.

He was colder to Luz, glaring in her direction when Camila wasn’t paying attention. Luz wasn't sure when the glares turned into hits when the comfort around him turned cold. She knew she couldn’t tell anyone. He made that clear when she first tried. It became easier to avoid him altogether than to avoid his hits. 

So she developed a schedule, go on runs before school, eat breakfast at the Cafe, hang out with Olly after school, anything to avoid intersecting with him. Her mom had no idea, how could she? Luz refused to tell her, and she was ashamed if her mom found out. Her mom liked...no- loved- him. She couldn't do that to her mom after all she's done. Even when she cried herself to sleep and clutched a wet rag to the fresh gashes in her arm. It was hot, it stung, and it bled. But she kept quiet. She didn't even know why. 

She looked around Amity’s apartment more, carefully opening drawers and looking under furniture. She needed to find that key.

Luz groaned as she came up empty-handed again. There was no finding that damned key. Sitting down on the edge of Amity’s bed, she held her hands to her head. Which was still pounding. Great.

She looked up to the nightstand, where a few pictures were propped up. Somehow, Luz had tricked Amity into thinking she was a good person, that she was her friend. And she hated that. It wasn't that Luz wasn't good, she desperately wanted to be, but all she did was hurt others. She picked up one of the photos, it was in a wooden frame, the picture recent. Amity stood by some kind of school project, holding up a trophy and smiling. At least there was that. Next to her, Luz hardly recognizes them. Willow and Gus were cheering for her. Willow wore the same glasses, worse for wear as the centre part was broken and taped together. Her hair was shaved short on the sides, growing longer on top. She looked good in that style. Gus’ hair was the opposite, it was longer. Only by a bit, barely reaching the bottom of his ears and it was tied into little braids all around. 

Luz smiled, she missed them all. But she shouldn't. She was lucky Amity didn’t die in those woods. She hurt her.

Giving up on her search, Luz went back to the couch. Figuring she’d rather not risk Amity coming home before she had sat down again. 

Before she realized it, she was staring at a page of a book. She wasn't reading, a habit she found hard to break. When reading a book in the living room, she would never really read. Looking busy. Staring at the words without absorbing them. In case he came home, in case she looked lazy. It was a way to stay safe. But even after, when she knew she was safe, at school, at the cafe or Olly’s house. It was hard to read.

After attempting several times to follow the story with a swirling head, she turned on the Orb. A random monster sitcom was playing. She couldn't understand it, but it was sound. It made her feel safer somehow, the background noise. She found herself laying down, not looking at the orb, heavy lids closing on herself. And against her better judgement, she fell asleep.

_________________  
_________________

By the time Amity got home, Luz was fast asleep. FIENDS was playing on the oracle orb and Amity let it continue playing for background noise as she brought in the bags of food. The laugh track played over jokes that weren’t funny as Amity began to place the food in their designated places. One bag, she left on the counter. She had bought some candy and treats for Luz to try, Amity wanted her to feel more at home, and was hoping the candy would help.

She looked over, Luz was turned, her back facing Amity. Her knees were brought up to her stomach and her arms wrapped around her. Almost in a fetal position. Amity looked as the T-shirt twisted uncomfortably around her, revealing part of her lower back. And Amity could see it clearer now, at least the end of it. She kneeled down by the couch, gently pulling up the shirt to expose Luz’s back. Amity could see them. Three scars, half of an inch in width, stretching from her shoulder to the small of her back, the middle covered up by her recent bandages. The pale girl dropped the shirt back down as Luz shivered in her sleep, turning slightly so Amity could see the scarred arm. The same kind of scars, only shorter and less noticeable, showed.

She knew the monster did not cause those. At least not the one they encountered in the boiling isles. And she also knew Luz wasn't going to tell her. But amity needed to know. Who had hurt her?

Suddenly, Amity leapt up, running into her room. She had learned something in an honors class in school, although the teachers had not developed on it as much, Amity knew how to do it. 

This certain spell, if done correctly, could launch you into the memories of someone else, no matter how much they wanted to hide it. She was certain the emperor had used it on rebels and witches alike. But this was different. She was using it to help Luz, she needed to know, so she could know how to help.

So she gathered herself at the side of the couch. Placing her hands on Luz’s head and closing her eyes. She chanted the words from her book. Focusing only on her intent. It was very important to not mess this up. So much could go wrong. She could-

She heard shouting first, and she opened her eyes. She wasn't in her apartment anymore. 

The house was cosy, nice family pictures lined the walls and sat atop shelves. Two couches and a chair surrounded Amity as she figured she was in Luz’s living room. A large square sat on the wall and it was playing a show. Like Amity’s oracle ball but it was weirder. Something was playing on the weird Oracle on the wall. Humans were running and tackling each other. But no one was watching. Then, she heard a door banging open.

“What the hell is this?”

Amity followed the voice and ran up the stairs of the house, running to the hallway and the first room on the right, where the door was open and light flooded the hallway. Amity walked in the room where a man stood, towering over a frightened Luz.

He was a tall man, over six feet. And somehow the fact that he wore big, heavy work boots did not help. He was wearing a greasy blue t-shirt that did nothing to hide a few tattoos that worked their way down his arms. The shirt was untucked from faded jeans that were also stained in a matching fashion. As Amity turned to stand on the side, she saw more of his face. A stubble was obviously growing on his jaw, to match the closely shaved hair atop his head. His face was red with anger, she recognized, although his skin was already a painfully pale pink. 

“I can explain, dad.”  
Amity looked around the room, she never knew about Luz’s dad. When Luz was here, in the Boiling Isles, she always talked of her mother, but never… him.

“Don't call me that, you're gonna have to try a lot harder if you want to keep your privileges.” He shook his hand in her direction and Amity did not miss the way the teen flinched as the hand moved.

“It's just a few points! The test didn't matter, my teacher said so herself!”

“You will not take that tone with me!”

“Come on! You need to-”

Amity flinched as she watched the man, Luz’s dad, slap her across the face. Luz seemed unsurprised, but she still fell to the ground, clutching her cheek.

“Do. Not. Talk back to me. You’ll find the world is not as kind as I am towards girls like you. Next time you’ll try harder, Luz Adelita Noceda.”

This wasn’t Luz’s dad. She had come to that much of a conclusion. 

“Yes, Robert.”

The door closed and Luz was alone, with Amity, of course, but she couldn't be seen. Amity could only watch as Luz stayed on the ground. She was deathly silent, and then the tears fell. But she made no noise. Luz just got up, rummaged in her drawer and pulled out a bandaid. Amity smiled, remembering Luz’s fondness of the little human bandages.

She pulled back her hand to show a red mark on her cheek. It wasn't bleeding, but Luz always said they made her feel better. She placed it gently on the spot just under her eye. Then she got up, turned off the light, and lay atop her bed, not even bothering to put herself under covers. The pale witch watched as she curled up into a fetal position and lay atop her blankets that were decorated with stars. Amity did all she could to not cry, as she watched the tracks of tears make their way onto the pillow Luz lay on.

Echoed voices made their way over the sound of Luz’s sniffles.

“Sorry I left so soon Olly! I have to get home, my mom would want me to be back before dinner!”

The memory shifted, Amity was now standing in a forest, a human one at that. She looked around at the new landscape to see Luz running for all she was worth. She ducked under branches and hopped over tree roots that blocked her path, and Amity followed. Luz was about 16, she would guess, definitely younger than the Luz that lay on her couch at the moment. And she was talking on her human phone.

An unfamiliar voice sounded from the device, “That's cool, my moms wanted me to work in the garden today anyways. Talk to you later?”

“Later!” Luz said cheerily.

Amity followed Luz as she ran through the paths, guiding Amity to the human house.

The pale witch was still reeling from the last memory that she had seen. But she persisted, watching as Luz, somewhat nervously, approached the side of her house. Curiously following as the tanned girl ducked under windows and peered over the side.

Amity walked over and saw what luz was looking at, a small blue thing with black wheel-looking things sat by the front of the house. She looked back to Luz as she let out a sigh of relieved air, speaking words with the sudden gush, “Moms home.”

“¡Mamá! Estoy en casa!” Luz sang out, throwing open the door and setting her bag atop the counter. 

Amity followed as Luz ran to her bedroom, happily. She almost ran into the girl once she entered, making sure not to touch Luz, as that would sever the connection to her memories. Amity looked where Luz gaped, seeing that same man, Luz’s not-dad, standing in the corner of the room. He held a book in one hand, and a belt in the other.

Amity paced around, not sure what was going on.

“Robert…” Luz said cautiously as if warning him.

“Very interesting book I’ve been reading, Luz.” He snapped it shut, making the teen flinch.

“You’re not supposed to read my diary, Robert. Mom said-”

Robert circled around the room, blocking Luz from the exit. 

“You’re a disrespectful, piece of shit, child.” 

Luz grimaced, “Where’s my mom, Robert?”

The tanned girl backed up, hitting her shin against the nightstand, causing it to teeter against the carpeted floor.

“You and your mom would be homeless if it weren't for me, you would probably be addicted to drugs at 18 if I hadn’t stepped in.”

Amity knew that was a lie. She watched as Robert walked closer, and he smelled terrible.

“Where’s-”

There wasn’t even a warning as the belt cracked over Luz’s upper arm, the two metal prongs on the end digging into dark skin. She toppled over the nightstand, knocking down a tiny globe and her alarm clock in the process. Hissing in pain as she attempted to right herself.

“I have done nothing but put up with your shit, your whining, your messiness since day one. I had to listen to every single dumbass story since you came back from that dumb camp! Your mom needed me and I was there for her, and you were off in wonderland half the time!”

Amity reached out, grasping at the droplets of blood that made their way to the carpet.

“My mom never needed you! We were fine before you came along!” She hissed out, “And you better pack your bags if you think I'm going to stay quiet about this shit any longer, dickhead!” Luz yelled out, hoping her mom would hear her, wherever she was.

“Your mom’s not here, bitch.”

Luz inhaled sharply.

“She had to take the next plane to Timbuktu, your grandmas awfully ill, she might not make it through the night.” Robert laughed, knowing Luz was close with her grandma. “And I’ve been here, reading all your little shit lies about me!” He shook the diary in hand, “Everything you are, you disgust me.”

The teen shook, she couldn't do anything, she couldn't overpower him, couldn't call out for her mom, she could call the cops…. She reached to get her phone out of her pocket, but Robert grabbed her arm and twisted it around her, forcing her to kneel and taking the phone from her back pocket, throwing it into the hall. 

The pale witch felt tears on her cheeks, knowing where this was going.

“Lift up your shirt.”

“No.”

He twisted the arm higher, and Luz screamed out.

“Pull up the back of your shirt.”

Luz did as she was told.

The belt cracked on the girls exposed back, and Amity leapt forward, attempting to hold Robert back, although she knew it wouldn't do anything. She phased right through him, temporarily latching onto parts of his memories, and all she felt was anger. Amity couldn't move. 

The belt cracked again, and again and again. Over and over, each time hitting harder as Luz clutched the comforter of her bed, her knees digging into the floor. Eventually, it drew blood, and he didn't stop.

Amity could feel Luz waking up, the memory becoming detached and fogged, more of a memory than the present. The last thing Amity heard before she was brought back was the evil man’s cruel laughter. 

She propelled back into the living room floor, holding her hand to her chest as if it had hurt her. Her head pounded, and her heart, too. How she knew she had looked into Luz’s memories too much.

Amity laid back, her spine resting uncomfortably on the edge of the coffee table and just letting herself breathe.

__________________  
__________________

Camila watched as Robert got into his car and left. He was going to the station to aid in the search for her daughter. The Chief of Police advised her to stay home, and Camila couldn't argue, she was exhausted.

The hospital had given her a week off after she announced Luz’s disappearance. She tried to work, feeling bad for leaving her coworkers for a whole week. But she ended up too distracted. She went home early that day and went straight to the police station. She hadn’t gotten any proper rest since she came home from the grocery store that night. 

With much to think about, Camila laid on the longest couch in front of the TV. She mindlessly turned on a tv show and turned to face the ceiling as the show played. Camila was thankful for Robert during this, he was being helpful and very apologetic. But she had a bad feeling. When Luz first came back from the summer camp, she loved Robert. They got along very well and always went out together, watched movies together, and baked together. Luz had told her mom one night when Robert left that she really liked him. She thought he was funny, and nice, and perfect for her mom. So, when he proposed, she said yes.

They had been dating six months when he proposed, which was fast. But Luz liked him so much Camila thought it was perfect. They were engaged for three months and married in March. It was a small wedding, only their closest friends and family invited and held in their backyard. Luz was the flower girl, Camila's dress was beautiful, and her mom made traditional Dominican foods for refreshments. She was so happy that day, and Luz said she was glowing.  
Then, three months after the wedding, Camila noticed something. Luz was being colder to Robert. She chalked it up to adolescence and the teen years making her act up. However, she couldn't ignore the way Luz looked away when Robert spoke, or how she tried to avoid him a little. Two months later, Camila asked Luz if something was wrong, she had noticed Luz flinch a few times while talking to her and she had become quieter. Luz admitted she wasn't feeling herself and Camila signed her up for therapy. Five months later, in January, Luz stopped hanging out with Robert altogether. She didn't spend time with the whole family as much and began to work out more. Camila noticed, and when she asked Luz, she simply replied that she didn't mean to and she would try harder.

A few instances in the two years they were married, made Camila worry. Robert did have a temper, but when he threw that bottle to the ground the other day was the worst it's ever been, and Camila wondered if it had been worse before, but that was the only time he let her see it. What if when Camila was at work and Robert was home with Luz he-

She shook the thought out of her head. She shouldn't point fingers now, that wouldn't help finding Luz. But she couldn't push the thought down. Had Robert done something like that before? And Luz just didn't tell her? Why wouldn't she say anything? What was going on? Oh, how she wished she had her mother here. Luz’s grandma was great at giving advice, and she would know just what to do.

The weight of everything crashed down on her as she laid on the patterned couch. Tears came to her eyes as Camila thought of her husband's outburst, the loss of her mother, and her missing child. But she had to have hope, she decided, as sleep began to grip at her. Hope that her daughter would be okay and that she would come home soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again! Thank you all for reading it means the world to me! Comments and Kudos are very much appreciated and they make me so happy! Dont be a stranger!  
> I apologize for another late chapter but do not fret! I will be updating more frequently over time as I have a surgery in March and will be stuck in my bed for a month, giving me more time to write! I promise to get the last chapters asap!  
> Again, thank you for reading, i really hope you enjoyed it.


	5. Memories Gone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Luz finds out about Amity's snooping :(

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger Warning!   
> mentions of abuse, parental abandonment, sickness

“Where were you on the night of November 25th?”

“I was at my friends house.”

“Which friend?”

The kid shifted uncomfortably in the metal chair, “Does that matter?”

“That depends. Did you stay there the whole night?”

“We might’ve gone out to eat, I dunno.”

“What did you eat?”

“I just said I don't know.”   
“Hm.” The head detective on the case let out a deep rumble at the teen’s words. He could tell the kid was lying. He paced around a few more times in his dark brown shoes, letting the heel click just a bit louder than necessary, noting the prick of sweat showing by the boy’s ear. He finally sat in front of him, in a second metal chair, leaning his burly arms on the cool metal of the table.

“Listen, man I-”

“Sir.” he interrupted, “Or Detective Juvier, you pick.”

“Sir,” he mirrored, “I don't know what I’m here for, so if you could just tell me what's going on, I could help you.”

The detective slid a picture over the tabletop, a picture of Luz, and the boy visibly tensed, “You know this girl? Luz Noceda?”

“Yeah… she’s in the year below me. That's all.”

“Raymond, I’m giving you one last chance, what were you doing that night?”

His leg bounced under the table uncontrollably, he looked everywhere but in the detective’s eye, he tapped his fingers against his palm under the desk, anything to avoid talking.

“Kid, we already have you on tape, just tell us where she is and we can save you some trouble and your parents the disappointment of having their last son in prison.”

“Prison?!” That was the only thing that seemed to wake him up, “Look dude- Sir- I mean, I didn't do nothing- anything. I- I just was going out with my buddies and- we…” He chewed on the inner part of his cheek, “We were just smoking and drinking some stuff my friend stole from his dad.”

“Then what happened?”

“I dunno! I was a little bit drunk but I remember Derek saw the girl coming from the sidewalk. He was way drunker than me, I swear I didn't want to do anything but he insisted I mean, I was really drunk. He- he told us to keep her from running away and he just wanted to mess with her.”

“Okay…” The detective looked up at the reflective glass, hoping they were understanding between the kids jitters.

“She bumped into us and she smelled like booze, she wasn't drunk from what I could tell but,” He put his head in his hands and shook his blonde hair around, “look I couldn't really understand what was going on. Then Derek. She kicked him in the dick, and he punched her in the nose. He got real mad for some reason and started beating on her super bad, and I didn't want to do anything but he made me join in-”

“He made you kick Luz? Against your will?”

“Yeah exactly, and I didn't want to but he made me.”

“And what did you say that Luz smelled like?”

“She smelled really strongly like booze, and her hair and jacket were all wet… before I mean.”

The detective looked up at the glass again, as if communicating with the person behind it. He had more questions for this boy, but now they had what they needed to keep him here. He nodded at the teen and ignored his pleas as he walked to the door. Opening it, he approached the two women that stood on the other side, one of them had her hands to her mouth in awe.

“What did he say about smelling booze?”

__________________  
__________________

Amity immediately ran to the kitchen sink after what she saw. She needed cold. She felt nauseous, her head swam with all the memories she saw and her heart felt heavy. Amity didn't know why, though. Luz needed help. Maybe with the boys in the alley at first, but now it was bigger. With that monster she considered a step-dad. 

She turned on the faucet and cupped her hands underneath it, bringing it to her cheeks. One hand brought more water to her face while the other pulled her long hair out of the ponytail and let it fall around her face. The water dripped down her face and it only temporarily grounded her. So she did it again, and again. Amity did it until her face and fingertips were red from the cold. Then, with her eyes closed, her hands automatically found their way to the dry rag that hung on the cabinet. She pressed the cotton to her eyes and slid down to the tile floor.

As she breathed through the cloth, she thought of what to do. Luz couldn’t go home, even though she wanted to, Titan knows why. Edric hadn’t found the key, and Amity wouldn't let her run back into danger like that. She could get Luz to stay with her, but she needed to know why Luz was so cold recently…

Then, a loud beeping noise jolted the green-haired witch to her feet. She looked first at Luz, still fast asleep on the couch. Then, her eyes surveyed the rest of the room, landing on a purple rectangle that lay on the coffee table, Luz’s human-scroll.

It beeped loudly, prompting the girl to silently run to it, picking it up in still-dripping hands. The screen read; “Mami: facetime request.” Followed by a red and green button at the bottom. Amity knew she shouldn't, but she slid to the floor anyway, pressing the green button.  
Different voices came from the phone, while someone Amity recognized as Luz’s mom filled the screen. She looked older than the last picture she remembered, more grey hair showing in her messy bun, and she looked as if she hadn't slept in days. 

“Tracking now.”

Luz’s mom spoke up, “Who are you, where is my daughter?” 

Amity’s voice caught in her throat, not managing to get anything out for a few seconds, until; “You’re Luz’s mom?”

“Where’s Luz?”

Another voice sounded, “Detecting some interference.”

Amity breathed heavily, moving the camera so Luz could be seen behind her, “She's just sleeping, she got hurt really bad-”

“Who are you and why do you have my daughter?”

“I’m Amity, Luz’s friend. She’s fine. She's safer now.”

Then, a third voice could be heard and a man came into frame, and Amity knew exactly who it was. “How can you say she's safer, huh? You’re just a kid.”

“Robert-” Luz’s mom warned.

“She needs a hospital. You’re probably keeping her hostage!”

Amity felt her face get hot as she saw the man get angry, “If there's anything I’m keeping her, it's safe from your filthy hands.” That didn't make sense but Amity was so angry, words did not come coherently. “You lay one more hand on Luz and I swear on Titan and my family’s bloodline that you’ll regret it. How dare you pretend to worry and care about her when you both know what you’ve done to her.”

“What are you-”

“I hope you come here, so I can beat the shit out of you myself. I'm sure all of our friends would love to get a hand on you.” Her words were coming up like vomit now, she couldn't stop them.

Luz’s mom spoke up, “What is-”

“You didn't even know, did you? How could you not see that? Luz was hurting and you did nothing!” Amity could feel herself tearing up, “Luz has always been there for her friends here, she helps others and you couldn't even help her-”

“Please I- I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Huh, Robert?” The pale witch knew she shouldn't be getting mad at Luz’s mom, but Robert instead, “You want to tell your wife? Or should I? How Luz would do everything to avoid seeing you. How you screamed at her and threw things at her?”

“...Robert?”

“She's lying.”

“I would tell you to ask Luz yourself, but she's never going back there. She’s staying with us, with her real friends.”

“Please!” Camila shouted, tears in her eyes, ignoring the red-faced Robert behind her, “Just tell me where my daughter is.”

“She's in the Boiling Isles and I'm never going to let Robert hurt her again.” She ended the call, panicking shutting the phone off and staring at the black screen. The black screen that showed the girl behind her staring.  
___________  
___________

“How did you know that?”

“Luz! I- I didn't know you were awake!” She rose to her feet and turned to place a hand on the girls shoulders as Luz pushed herself up.

“How did you know!” The tanned teen pushed away Amity's hand and stood, hitting her foot on the book that lay open on the ground.

“Luz. Listen,”

“You went through my memories?!” Luz yelled, ignoring the budding headache from the back of her head, “You went into my mind and searched my memories?!”

She sighed and stepped away from the living room, finding her purple hoodie draped on a chair and wrapping it around herself, pulling it tighter for comfort.

“I just- I wanted to help, Luz. That's all…”

“I never asked for your help! I don't need your help! I was doing fine on my own!”

Amity stepped closer, “What you’d rather that monster keep treating you like that?”

“That's none of your business!” Luz could feel her throat get tight with wet anger, the kind that stung your eyes and heated your face, “I can handle myself and I don't need anyone’s sympathy!”

“Luz you can't think that's okay!”

“That's not for you to decide! You have no idea what's going on and you just went through my memories without a thought about me! You think it was so noble to try to protect me but you're making things worse!”

Luz paced through the kitchen, trying to muster up more words to say. 

“My mom loved Robert, and he loved her. And now she’ll question their relationship! She’ll blame herself, he’ll try to explain and make her feel worse! She was finally happy! And I wasn't going to get in the way of that!”

“Luz that's not how it's supposed to work.” Amity followed her as she paced back into the living room.

“How would you know?! Your parents don't even love you!”

Amity stepped back with a tiny gasp, her eyes lowering and guard dropping. With the force of a thousand waves, she dropped her straight-backed shoulders. And Luz could tell that wasn't what she meant to say. Why did she say that? She didn't mean to say that, she wasn't even thinking that. God, she had been so angry and frustrated that she had said something completely out of line. She knew nothing about Amity's parents now and she shouldn't of-

All I do is hurt people.

The three-year-old conclusion came crashing back at her as she watched the tears fall from Amity’s face. She looked at the green-haired girl who was focused intently on the corner of the coffee table, the face she hurt. Again.

Luz couldn't say sorry, she couldn't take it back. She said it, and she apparently thought it. Trying to apologize would only make it worse. 

“Give me the key.” She thrust out her hand, ignoring the building sorrow in her own eyes.

Amity hiccuped, “-what?”

“Give me the key Amity! I'm going home.” Tears slowly trekked down.

“I-” Amity looked down, slipping down into the couch cushions. “I don't have the key. I never found it from that night…”

“What?”

“We went looking for it, we- we really did but… but I couldn't find it anywhere and-”

Luz stormed to the closet near the door, pulling out the nearest cloak she could find and pulled it over her own shaking shoulders. She grabbed the front door and opened it, ignoring the small voice from the living room that called out for her to stay.

And she ran, out the door, down the first flight of stairs and through the entrance, pulling the hood over her face and ducking behind crowds.

She could hear Amity calling for her, despite the ringing in her head. And she ignored it. She kept running. The ache in her ribs is stronger, yet familiar. The cold wind stinging her eyes and brought tears anew. She ducked between monsters and witches alike. Finding her way to the woods she barely remembered from those years ago. A naive young girl with the belief that she was special.

She ignored the animals of the woods, guiding herself to the place she left.

The sun began to set as she slowed to a walk, the slowing breaths bringing clarity to her head and subsided the headache that grew into a migraine, then back to a dull ache. She could feel her eyes getting heavy, ignoring the lingering question she felt in the back of her head. Her legs begging for rest, she finally came upon the clearing and her fears were confirmed. All that was there was an empty lot, dirt still disturbed, a few pieces of trash littering the ground. No house. No annoying owl tube, no adorable King and Owlbert. No Eda. 

Her legs gave out without warning, bringing the girl to her knees. She let her forehead touch the cool ground, and her fingers dug into the hair on the back of her head. Trying so hard to keep the cry that begged to be released in the back of her throat. A gust of wind picked up and brought an old poster paper to her head. Luz looked up only then, grabbing the paper that disturbed her temporary break.

It was a picture of Eda. Eda and King. It was maybe a year old, they were being led away by emperor’s guards, handcuffs on the both of them. Luz’s eyes searched the bold words on the paper, trying to make sense of it.

Infamous Owl Lady finally caught, Emperor announces her punishment; petrification.

She didn't believe it. She couldn’t believe it. Eda would have escaped, she wouldn't let that happen to herself, or king. But Luz looked again at the picture, Eda’s face lacked the original sly smile, the hidden plan. The cockiness. She looked tired. Like she had accepted her capture. Like she had no plan. That left Luz to wonder if she had something to do with it.

Her body protested, her head spun and her legs screamed, but she stood up, throwing the paper into her pocket and running deeper into the woods. She didn't know where she was going, but she needed to getaway. As far as possible. Away from the reminder, away from the thought that Eda- that King- she ran harder.

The sun was completely down now, not sparing a shred of light for Luz to see. Clouds gathered overhead, growling and blocking out the moon, and she was reminded of the unusual weather conditions of this world. She stumbled into a wide tree, and then another, searching for shelter. Finally, she found a tree with a hole burned into the side. Big enough for her to fit in. 

So she climbed inside, just as the rain started, sparing her likely acid-prone clothes. She huddled closer to herself and pulled out the paper, her eyes adjusting to the dark and seeing the face of her mentor once again, this time, she allowed herself to cry out. 

“Eda!” She cried, letting the tears flow freely now, letting the hurt and the tiredness out of her throat, “I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Please!” She choked on those words, gasping them out, knowing no one would hear. Her voice breaking, the fatigue taking over, Luz slumped into the walls of the tree.

“I'm sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry the update took so long! I hope yall enjoyed this chapter! hit me up with suggestions or comments on parts that you liked! I love those comments. Tell me what you liked! Tell me what youre unsure about! Tell me what you would like to see! Im listening :) and sorry if i take awhile to reply to comments, for some reason It takes forever for me to get notifications from AO3.   
> ____  
> Im so sorry if there are any errors or mistakes in clarity, I was gonna edit it one more time before sending it out but Im not feeling it. My dog had to be put down and my mom thought it would be better to not tell me when she did. Things have been tense at home a little and Im really looking forward to moving out but for now im here :')  
> \----  
> Let me know what you think about this chapter in the comments! Ask me personal questions, advice, suggestions, requests, theories, Im all ears! I love hearing from you!  
> -bernie <3

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry to Luz for projecting on ya, its not my fault you're my comfort character.


End file.
